Official communication outlet of the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center. Our official press releases and situational responses are found here.

Sunday, September 18, 2005

OCDAC Newsletter September 18, 2005

Dear Friends,

Last Thursday, we had educational booth at the Diversity Day Job Fairin Fountain Valley. Our materials heavily focused on helping deafworkers co-exist well with their hearing co-workers. Our booth showedoff the accommodation equipment deaf people use at the workplace anddistributed out information on reasonable acommodations at the workplace, and communicating with the deaf and hard of hearing. It was avery posh event with fancy food and dessert booths. The event alsohad a heavy 70's theme. Photos of this event have been uploaded toour newsletter's website. The event had been declared a success andwe've been invited to next year's event as well. Kudos to everyonewho helped us make our participation in this event a complete success.

Also uploaded are photos of our educational booth at the San Marinohealth fair we had one week after the Orange County Fair closed.

We've finished up preparing for the Deaf festival that's taking placein Van Nuys this coming Saturday. We will have a lot of informationand resources in many different languages. Los Angeles is a verydiverse county and we will have our information available in diverselanguages.

To the new members, we welcome you to this newsletter list and weappreciate your support and interest in serious advocacy material onthis and many more future issues that will help the deaf anddisability communities move forward to the promised land of fairness,equality, and justice.

OCDAC Communications

-------------< INSIDE NEWS >

This Thursday and Friday our our bowling nights fundraisers atWestminster lanes 6pm to 9pm. Our bowling fundraiser has just turnedfor the better, the owner of Westminster lanes has liked our booth, hehas given us a blanket approval to have fundraising activities in hisbowling center any day, anytime, and for as long as we wish. We areplanning all day fundraisers at the Westminster lanes on October 8 and15. We also have plans for fundraising in the afternoons of Sept21-23, and 28-29.

We badly need a volunteer coordinator who will help us keep in touchwith volunteers and to contact them and make sure they are given theopportunities to participate in our activities. Our volunteer list hasgrown dramatically during the fair. We really need help managing them.

We have decided to eliminate our Rose parade fundraiser and replace itwith a bigger times square like event at the Orange CountyFairgrounds.

We also need committees for the Pirate's festival, Silverado Festival,and Winter Festival fundraisers as well.

We have also started on our Deaf Expo (Mata.tv) planning for the eventin November in Long Beach.

Families in the Deaf Community, Hearing ASL users, Students of SignLanguage Classes, or people interested in learning more about the DeafCommunity are welcome to this fun Halloween celebration andfundraiser. Costumes are encouraged. All children will be invited to'trunk or treat' the Halloween-decorated trunks of cars parked in ourparking lot. Party, games, treats and pictures will follow 'trunk ortreating' inside SJCD Hall. Funfor all ages!

2) WE NEED YOU! We are especially looking for people who areinterested in parking in our parking lot and participating in theHalloween-decorated car-trunk contest where the children willÂ³Trunkor Treat.Â² (Great volunteer opportunity and exposure for ASLstudentslearning more about the deaf community!)

**All decorated cars must pay the $10 entry fee per car and purchaseyour own wrapped candy to pass out to the children. Costumesencouraged. This is an important part of our fundraiser and makes youa VIP! (Heartfelt thanks in advance!)

Please contact LaRonda Zupp at: LZupp@sjcd.org by Oct. 17th if youplan to participate in the car trunk decorating so we can reserve yourspace.

Free Parking will be available outside of SJCD's parking lot alongHighland Blvd. Only cars participating in the trunk decorating will beallowed into SJCD's parking lot.

St. Joseph's Center for the Deaf is a non-profit organizationdedicated to serving the social, educational, parenting,communication, mental health and spiritual needs of individuals,couples and families in Deaf Community throughout Alameda and ContraCosta Counties. This special seasonal event provides children andtheir families in the Deaf Community with a linguistically andculturally accessible recreational activity, whileraising awareness and continued funding for our accessible supportservices. Proceeds of this fundraiser go to the continuation of ParentEducation and Mental Health Services to prevent family violence andbuild healthy families in the deaf community.

Here are clippings from the Robert's confirmation hearings that tookplace last Thursday with Senator Kennedy.

========================

KENNEDY: Now, let me ask you about those that are faced withdisabilities. Do you think the 50 million Americans that are facedwith disabilities in one form or another -- challenges, I like to say-- do you think that we have the authority and the power to free thiscountry, free our nation from the forms of discrimination againstthose who have a disability?

ROBERTS: I do, Senator. Now, there are issues that come up, as youknow, in several of the cases before the Supreme Court on theparticular applications of that, cases concerning the question of doyou have the authority under Section 5 or the Fourteenth Amendment toabrogate state sovereign immunity if the claim of disabilitydiscrimination concerns a state as a defendant. And as you know, inthe Garrett case, there was conclusion that the authority was notthere. Later, in the Lane case, under Title II of the Americans withDisabilities Act, the conclusion was that sufficient record had beenestablished that there was the authority. So while, as a generalmatter, there is the authority, in a particular case it may come upagainst other provisions in the Constitution, in that case therecognition of state sovereign immunity, and that presents anissue that the courts have to address.

KENNEDY: You mentioned the Lane case. That was decided 5-4. We'regoing to hear later today from Beverly Jones, who was a plaintiff inthat case. I've listened to her, I've met with her before. Anextraordinary woman, mother of two, trying to provide for her family,court reporter. And it was either an issue or question whether she wasgoing to crawl up the flight of stairs to have access to the courtroomand have someone bring up her wheelchair or whether she waseffectively going to be denied that opportunity to have access to acourtroom in Tennessee.

KENNEDY: Four justices indicated in their dissent that this kind ofissue or question ought to be resolved by states effectively. Fiftystates ought to be making that judgment. I strongly believe that thiscountry, in its march toward progress, in dealing with the disability-- with Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, thework that was done with IDEA over the long period of time -- that wehave come to the point where we as a country want to invite all ofthose with forms of disability to be a part of the mainstream. Butthat was a 5-4 decision. And I appreciate the fact that I gather fromyour, at least answer, Iguess, in the Lane v. Tennessee that you're at least sympathetic tothe judgment that Justice O'Connor made in indicating thataccommodation for those with disabilities in that case wasappropriate.

ROBERTS: Well, it's certainly the precedent of the court in that areaand I have no quarrel with it. The issue, of course, is whether or notCongress has the authority under Section 5 of the 14th Amendment toabrogate the states' sovereign immunity. It's not a policy judgment bythe court about leaving things to the states or federal government buta legal determination of whether the state's sovereign immunity's beenabrogated. And the court determined in that case that Congress didhave that authority and that it could authorize the suit against thestate institution.

KENNEDY: Well, we're going to come back to, sort of, the, kind of,legalist determinations that make and extraordinary difference interms of people's lives. We welcome guidance and invitation aboutwhich particular provisions of the Constitution that we ought toutilize in order to strike down these forms of discrimination.

Washington, D.C. --- Reeling from massive planned cuts to the nation'sMedicaid program, ADAPT is going to the nation's capitol September17-22 to tell Congress and the President, "Don't target poor peoplewith disabilities!" If enacted, the already planned cuts and proposedlegislation will force even more older and disabled Americans out oftheir own homes and into nursing homes.

"I feel like I've got a target painted on my back," said RandyAlexander, ADAPT Organizer in Tennessee, and one of the leaders of the3 month old Citizens to Save TennCare protest at the Tennessee statecapitol. "We are getting hit by draconian cuts in our own state, andby frightening cuts and legislation planned by the federal government.And all this is happening at a time when our brothers and sisters withand without disabilities in Louisiana and Mississippi and Alabama whosurvived hurricane Katrina need a solid, comprehensive Medicaidprogram more than ever."

When George W. Bush assumed the Presidency in 2001, one of his firstacts was to issue his New Freedom Initiative, focused on removing thebarriers that keep people with disabilities and older Americans fromfullparticipation in their communities, and from fully accessing allgovernment services and programs. Despite this presidential directive,Congress has yet to pass legislation, including Money Follows thePerson(S 528; HR 3063) and MiCASSA (S 401; HR 901), that would remove theMedicaid institutional bias and give people choice to receive longterm services in the community.

"People with disabilities need long term services and supports, aswill many of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina who have lost theirhomes, and life as they knew it. Now is not the time for Congress topit the needs of the survivors against the ongoing needs of poorpeople with disabilities," said Bob Liston, ADAPT Organizer fromMontana who has over 20 family members displaced by Hurricane Katrina."Congress shouldn't be trying toput bandaids on our dysfunctional support system, but should beenacting legislation like Money Follows the Person to provide neededreform that will improve our community support infrastructure foreveryone."

Currently, nursing homes in a number of states don't provide care forpeople who use ventilators. If individual states don't providecommunity-based care for those ventilator users, they are shipped offto nursing homes in other states. Such is the case for over 15ventilator users from West Virginia who have been sent away from theirfamilies and communities to nursing homes in Ohio. Tennessee issimilarly poised to send ventilator users to nursing homes in otherstates as Gov. Bredesen has cut from the budget the services that keptthem living in their own homes. Legislation like Money Follows thePerson and MiCASSA would remedy this situation by allowing people tostay in or return to their own homes

Another mounting national crisis is the profound lack of affordable,accessible housing across the country. Such housing is critical forpeople wanting to move out of, or avoid, nursing homes and otherinstitutions. Inthe wake of Hurricane Katrina there is an exponentially increaseddemand for affordable housing to accommodate survivors with andwithout disabilities who are now homeless. "There aren't enoughresources to meet the current demand," said Beto Berrera, ADAPTorganizer and housing specialist from Chicago. "And with thedrastically increased need caused by Katrina, people with disabilitieswill likely be pushed off the housingwaiting lists by survivors of the hurricane. This should not be aSophie's choice. In a country that can send people to the moon, thereshould be enough for everyone."

Washington, DC - September 15, 2005-- The nations major disabilityorganizations are delighted with efforts of House legislators toaddress the needs of people with disabilities in todays public releaseof a Discussion Draft of federal broadband reform legislation by staffof the Energy & Commerce Committee, U.S. House of Representatives.

The House committee staff unveiled the draft at noon on Thursday.Noting that it is not an officially introduced bill, the staff seekscomment from telecommunications, cable, satellite, and other industryrepresentatives as well as from representatives of consumers ofcommunications services by September 27.

Disability groups reacted within hours. Speaking on behalf of theNational Association of the Deaf (NAD), the nations oldest and largestself-advocacy organization of deaf and hard of hearing Americans, NADgovernmental affairs consultant Frank Bowe said: The NAD is simplyecstatic at the staff draft. The House staff listened to us andheard us! Bowe is a professor at Hofstra University, on Long Island.

Added Karen Peltz Strauss, Esq., telecommunications attorneyadvocating on behalf of several disability constituencies: Theproposed disability language is truly the product of bipartisanefforts. Congressmen Upton, Barton, Dingell, Markey, and Pickeringare to be commended for their excellent efforts to safeguarddisability access to the IP technologies of the future. Theselegislators understand how important it is not to leave behind peoplewith disabilities as the rest of the nation surges ahead in their useand enjoyment of these innovative and exciting technologies. Straussis a former senior staff member of the Federal CommunicationsCommission (FCC).

Bowe and Strauss pointed to language proposed in section 404 in thestaff draft entitled Access by Persons with Disabilities. Thesection calls for broadband, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), andother IP-based communications equipment manufacturers and serviceproviders to make sure that their products and services are accessibleto and usable by persons with disabilities. Companies making productsor offering services do not have to provide access if they can provethat doing so would cause their business an undue burden. In theevent an undue burden is claimed, manufacturers and providers stillmust find alternative ways to make products and services compatiblewith adaptive equipment and software that is specifically designed foruse by people with disabilities.

The advocates also hailed section 208 of the staff draft. EntitledProvision of Relay Service, this section calls for VoIP serviceproviders to offer relay services for individuals with hearing,speech, or other communication-related disabilities. Current relayprovisions, contained in Section 225 of theCommunications Act of 1934,do not require VoIP service providers to do so. Relay services enableindividuals who cannot speak or hear to engage in text, voice or videocommunication with other individuals through a third party called acommunications assistant (CA). Various types of relay servicesfacilitate communication in text, voice, sign language, and captions.

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) President andCEO Andrew Imparato said: AAPD continues to be an active participantin the ongoing efforts of Americans with disabilities to achieveparity in todays communications environment. Working with theAmerican Foundation for the Blind, TDI, and other organizations, suchas the NAD, we will monitor developments as Congress moves from thisinitial staff discussion draft toward actual legislation.

American Association of People with Disabilities1629 K Street NW, Suite 503Washington, DC 20006202-457-0046www.aapd.com

-------------< ANNOUNCEMENTS >

COME TO OUR MEETUPS! The Orange County American Sign Language MeetupGroup - http://asl.meetup.com/37/ - meets each 3rd Wednesdays of themonth. The Orange County Deaf & Hearing Impaired Meetup Group -http://deaf.meetup.com/38/ - meets each 1st Saturdays of the month.

Our new ASL class start in the Sept 28, and the slots are really beingfilled now as there is a limit of 8 students per class for betterquality of education and sign language training. Our ASL instructorhas many years experience as a tutor in a community college.

If you shop at Albertsons and have a community partners card, pleaseconsider adding your card to our list of supporters. You can nowdownload and print our Albertsons Community Partners signup forms atHttp://www.deafadvocacy.com/AlbertsonsSignup.pdf and have yourfriends, neighbors, associates, and relatives sign up as supportersand then mail it to the address on the form. Our goal is 25,000supporters who shop at Albertsons. And when you shop at Albertsons,please dont forget to use the community partners card.

We recycle used cell phones, empty printer and toner cartridges. Ifyou have any of these to unload from your hands, please send or dropthem at our agency at 2960 Main Street, A100, Irvine, California 92614

-------------< DEAF QUOTES >

"I became president in a very public way" I. King Jordan, first deafpresident of Gallaudet University.

-------------< COMMUNITY BULLHORN >

Dear WFD President and Board Members:

I am William Ollen, from Canada.

In the past 2 years I had the unique opportunity to witness the twomajor deaf international events - the WFD Congress held in Montreal,Canada, in July, 2003, and Deaflympic Summer Games held in Melbourne,Australia, in January 2005.

I write to each of you now because I feel very unhappy, suspicious anduneasy about the alleged voting fraud initiated by certain leaders inthe CISS/Deaflympics organization at the recent 39th CISS Congress inAustralia.

For complete details, please look up at

www.deafsportlawsuit.com/update72.htm

It is quite unbelievably and shocking that nearly 151 votes weremissing during the election procedure for various CISS ExecutiveCommittee positions in Melbourne and that Russia's big deaf man,Mr.Valery Rukhledev, even did not win any seat position there.

It was obvious that there was too much American influence, bias andpresence at that 39th CISS Congress.

Imagine the three deaf Americans - Mr. Jerald Jordan, Mr. Ed Inghamand Ms.Tiffany Granfors - were directly involved with the elections,while the other deaf American - Ms. Donalda Ammons - was running forthe top position of the CISS.

Was it called a free, democratic, impartial and fair election, wasnot it?

Can the CISS people justify the CISS Motto "EQUAL THROUGH SPORTS"?

I write this Letter to the WFD because all the deaf people view theWFD as the so-called "U.N. organization for the deaf people."Therefore, I feel the WFD should do something to protect the just andequal rights of every deaf citizen, including in the area of sports,all over the world.

Recently, one deaf sports official of the Republic of South Africa,for example, proposed to set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigatethe alleged voting fraud at the CISS Congress.

This is a good idea.

But I do personally think that a special and extraordinary CISSCongress should be convened in which new elections should be conductedand in which all the deaf American leaders and representatives shouldstay on the sidelines if an American person runs for an electiveposition.

Do you agree with my input and suggestion?

I know that at the end of this month your entire Board will convenein Helsinki, Finland, for the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of theFinnish Deaf Association. And there I do urge your Board to dosomething with the alleged election fraud, that is, what kind of anaction will your Board suggest to take upon against those whodefrauded the deaf world at that CISS Congress election procedure inAustralia?

Become an owner of a _________.WS website for only $10 a month! All_________.WS owners automatically become .WS website resellers and itcomes with an automatic selling program and all you have to do is leadpeople to your .WS reseller website. The WS stands for 'website'! Linkhas video of the program in American Sign Language and is a excellentself-sufficiency opportunity for people who want to be on the top ofthe .WS cyber real estate market. Hearing people can participate asthe reseller link also has a video for them.Begin your journey toward self-sufficiency by sending a blank email todeaf@activist.com and it will auto-reply back to you with informationabout this fantastic program. And you will get another email message afew days later with the full explanation of the program.

-------------< LETTERS >

Hi, I updated the website. Look at the bottom of the new story,telling you what happened in June, 2005 when I visited my mother'slawyer, Attorney Larry Taylor for the first time after 11 years ofsilence. He is the one who broke the law and betrayed my mother and meby becoming my brother's lawyer before mother was buried and refusedto do what my mother wanted accordingly to her Will for 11 years.Remember, Attorney Taylor has been doing my mother's Will, revisingand updating her Wills for over 30 years.

I promise I kept the story short and it will not take all your time.Have a great day, W.

If you wish to contribute to this newsletter, feel free to send innews, stories, and opinions relating to the disability community. Yoursupport for this effort to move the disability community forward willbe greatly appreciated. We will continue to aggressively pursuejustice, fairness, and equality for the disability community as it hasbeen doing since November 1996. We have chosen that EDUCATION is thebest way accomplish this objective.

Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center is a community based organizationthat puts people with disabilities first in their advocacy for equalopportunities in safety, health, and productive living.

The Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center provides services for disabledindividuals and their families in our community who need help innavigating the social services maze go without proper food, shelter,and essential medical care every day due to a variety of factorsincluding low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, domesticviolence, or divorce. While all of us are susceptible to hard times,disabled individuals are at the most risk. With the generous supportof people like you, we are able to help many of these families andindividuals not only to meet essential daily needs, but to work towarda brighter future with programs in job training, education,counseling, elderly assistance, and temporary housing.

Feel free to forward this email message to any one and any of yourpersonal mailing lists so we can get the important messages out farand wide and encourage them to sign up for our weekly newsletter.